Tire and method of making the same



Jan. 21, 19.36. R P' E 2,028,165

TIRE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed July 21, 1934 2 sheat s-Sheet 1 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1936. R. c. PIERCE TIRE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed July 21, 1934 Patented Jan. 21, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT ornce 7 2,028,165 v 'rmn AND METHOD or MAKING rm: SAME Robert 0. Pierce, Niles, Mich., assignor to National-Standard Company, Niles, Mich., a corporation of Michigan application July21, 1934, Serial No. 736,415

g -8 Claims. (01. 154-14) This invention relates to tires and the method within the bead and expand such ring or rings of making the same and applies, more particularly, to the shoe or outer casing of a pneumatic tire-of the type now commonly used on motor vehicles. l

Inthe making of tires of this type, it is cus tomary to place a reinforcement in the-bead.

This reinforcement usually takes the form of a good fit on the rim, it is desirable to have the tire material in the bead under the reinforcement relatively thin and rather highly compressed. If this is not done, the reinforcement or reinforce ing ring in the bead is too far removedfromj the rim so that the relatively thick materialof the bead under the reinforcement compresses further in usage. This results in making the tire loose .on the rim. Among the features of my invention is theprovision'of means and method for overcoming the objections noted above. Among the features of my invention is the compressing of the bead material under the reinforcement prior to the curing of the tire so that in the completed tire such material under the reinforcementwill be relatively thin' and rather highly compressed.

Another feature of my invention is the placing of a metal band on the inner, side of the bead under the reinforcement. This band may be expanded into the bead before curing and maybe caused to adhere to the bead. This will give the compression of the bead material under the reinforcement which it is desirable to have and will also permit the formingof the inner diameter of the bead to an exact dimension. Instead of a flat band, a plurality of relatively large wires may be employed.

Another feature of my invention is the shap ing of the bead before curing. This maybe done l at the same time-that thematerial under the reinforcement is compressed, as explained above, or at the same time that a metal ring is applied to the inner edge of the bead.

I have spoken above of placing a metal band.

gor a plurality of relatively large wires on the in theform of a ring. If a plurality of relatively large wires are employed, they may constitute a plurality of rings. In'placing such a metal hand,

ring, or plurality of rings in the head, I prefer to place an undersized metallic ring or rings enough to stretch the material beyond its elastic limit (but not to the breaking point) so that it is accurately and permanently set in its finalsize and shape. Since the reinforcement in the bead 5 is substantially inextensible, this stretching of the band or ring on the inner side of the bead simultaneously: (1) sizes and shapes the innercircumference of the bead, (2) compressesthe bead material between the band or ringand the bead 10 reinforcement, and if-de'sired, (3) roughly shapes or molds the bead approximately to the desired final cross-sectional shape.

By expanding the bead before curing, as explained above, in order to thin and compress the 15 material of thebead under the reinforcement, and/or by placing a steel band or wires at the inner edge of the bead before curing, it is possible to obtain-a much more accurate fit of the completed tire on the rim and the danger of locl'e- 20 ness developing in usage is eliminated or lessened.

Another feature of my invention is the use of a metal band, asabove described, on the inner side of the bead which also serves as the bead reinforcement, so that there need be no other re- 25 inforcement imbedded in the bead.

Other features and advantages of my invention will appear more fully. as I proceed with my specification. l

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown ,30 means for practicing my improved method and have also illustrated my. improved tires. As shown in these drawingsl l Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of the apparatus for expanding the bead and/or applying a 35 metal band to the inner surfacethereof prior to curing; Fig. 2 is a view taken as indicated by the line 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a-diagrammatic view showing a section of a bead to illustratethe way that the head can be expanded and compressed 40 under thereinforcement; Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the bead expanded and formed by the apparatus of Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the placing of three wires on the inside of the bead; Fig. 6 is a similar view show- .45 ing the placing of a metalband in the head, said band being convex on one side; Fig. 7 is a similar view showing'the placing of a metal band'in the bead, said band having one edge bent upwardly at right angles; Fig.8 is afsimilar viewshowing 50 a flat metal band applied to the inner surface of the bead; and Fig. 9 is a, similar view showing the band used as the reinforcement.

As shown in the drawings, in Figs. 1 to 8, in clusive, the tire is indicated in'generalby l0 and 55 at the bead thereof in general by II. I have shown inside of the bead for reinforcement a plurality of wires, in this case twelve wires, and these are indicated by I2, this reference numeral serving to indicate the reinforcement in general, whatever its form may be.

The material of the bead under the reinforcement I2 I have indicated by I3. This is shown in Fig. 3 as it appears after the tire is first formed. That is, it is so thick that it extends below the reinforcement I2 far enough to reach to the reference line a. It is desirable that this I material I3 under the reinforcement in the completed tire be expanded and compressed somewhat. For example, it may be desirable to expand and compress this material until it reaches the reference line b. That is, the internal diameter of the head is preferably increased by a distance equal to twice the distance between the reference lines a and b.

In order to obtain this expansion and compression of this bead material under the reinforcement I2, I have here shown a support It carrying six radially movable segmental members I5. These members'are adapted to be moved outwardly by the wedge I5 mounted on the screw II. A plate I 8 holds the wedges on the support I 4 and this plate, in turn, is held to the support by inner bolts l9 and outer bolts 20. The latter carry spacing members 2| to prevent the wedges I5 from being clamped too tightly to the support I4. The wedges are provided with slots 22 and 23 to accommodate the bolts I9 and the bolts and washers 20, 2I.

24 indicates a thin metal band which may be placed over the segments I5 in order to bridge the spaces between the same.. A head of the tire in the form shown in Fig. 3 is placed over the segments I5 and they are then expanded to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 4. This serves to expand and compress the material I5, and in such expanded andcompressed state it is indicated by I3. There is also preferably placed over the outer edges of the segments I5 a bead-forming ring 25 which may be held in position by .the locking levers 25 on the bolts 20. When the bead material is expanded and compressed, its inner side surface is also formed by the beveled surface 25' of this member 25.

After each bead has been thus expanded and formed or shaped as shown in Fig. 4, the tire is put in the mold and cured in the usual manner.

The bead besides being formed and expanded prior to curing may also have forced thereinto a plurality of wires, metal band, or the like. I have shown difierent embodiments of this feature of the invention in Figs. 5 to 8, inclusive. For ex- -ample, in Fig. 5, the bead III has applied to its inner surface the threewires I50. In this embodiment of the invention, the three wires I50 may be wrapped over the steel band 24, with their ends disconnected or loosely enough so that the desired expansion is permitted. The segments I5 are then expanded, as explained above, whereupon the beadmaterial is expanded and comi, pressed to the form indicated by II 3' and the one edge turned outwardly, as indicated by 350'.

In Fig. 8, I have shown a flat metal band 450 applied in a similar manner to the inner edge of the bead M I.

As shown in Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive the bead may have applied to its inner surface three wires I50, a metal band 250, a band 850 with a flange, or a fiat metal band 450. Each of the bands 250, 350, or 450 maihbe an endless band; and each of the wires I50 may be an endless band. Each of these endless bands may be initially somewhat undersize and stretched beyond its elastic limit (but not to the breaking point) as it is forcedinto the head. When the band is thus made endless and stretched, three things'ar'e simultaneously accomplished, namely: (1) the band is accurately and finally sized and shaped and therefore the inner circumference of the bead is also sized and shaped; (2) the material of the tire bead is compressed between the band and substantially inextensible reinforcement I2 in the bead; and

(3) if a bead forming ring 25 is employed, the bead material is molded into the desired crosssectional shape. In the same manner as just described, the fiat metal band550 to be hereinafter described may also be made endless and undersized and stretched beyond its elastic limit as it is forced into the bead.

In Fig. 9, I have shown a flat metal band 550 applied in a similar manner to the inner edge of the bead 5| I. Here, however, the band serves as the reinforcement and there is no other reinforcement inside the bead. Consequently, I prefer to make this band somewhat thicker and stronger andialso fasten the ends of the same together in any suitable manner, as for example, by welding.

The members I50, 250, 350, and 450 are preferably coated or plated with some substance, for example, antimony. copper or brass, in order to cause them to adhere to the bead material. Thesubstance used for'plating may be plated over a coating of zinc or cadmium, which substantially protects the rings against rusting 'and cor-- rosion. While the stretching of the rings I50,

250, 350, 450, and 550 greatly facilitates accuin the appended claims, in which it is myintention to claim all novelty inherent in' my' invention as broadly as permissible, in view of the prior art.

What I regard as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A tire formed withkabead containing a sub-' stantially' inextensible reinforcement and having an internal compression-sustaining ring, and having the material of the bead between the reinforcement and the ring held undercompression by the reinforcement and the ring.

'2. A tire formed with a bead containing a metallic annular reinforcement and having [an internal metallic ring, and having the material of the bead between thereinforcement'and the u ring held under compression by the reinforcement and the ring.

3. A tire formed with a bead having an an-- gular section metal ring secured to its inner circumference and to its outer face adjacent thereto, and having a substantially inextensible reinforcement imbedded in the bead and holding part of the material of the bead compressedagainst said 4. That method of making a tire which'com prises forming the bead of the tire with a substantially inextensible reinforcement therein, placing a metallic ring inside the circumference of the bead, and stretching said ring beyond its elastic limit to compress between the ring and the reinforcement part ofthe material and accurately to predetermine' the diameter of the bead, and completing the manufacture of the tire in a manner permanently uniting the bead to said ring. n i

5. That method of making a tire whiehcomprises forming the head of the tire with an annular reinforcing therein, andplacing a metallic ring inside the circumference of the bead and stretching itto compress between the ring and the reinforcement part of the bead material and accurately to predetermine the diameter of the bead. I I

6. That method of making a tire which comprises'forming the bead of thetire with an annular reinforcement therein. placing a metallic ring inside the circumference of the bead and; stretching it to compress between the ring and am ss 3 the reinforcement part of the bead material and accurately to predetermine the diameter of the bead; and molding said bead approximately to its final shape while stretching said ring.

7. That method of making tire which comprises forming the tire bead an annular re inforcement therein, placing within the tire a member shaped approximately to the desired final shape of the bead and in a position to hold the head against outwardly-directed pressure, 10

placing an undersize ring within said bead, and stretching said ring outwardly to finahsize by outwardly-directed pressure which: 1) \compresses the material of the bead between the reinforcement and the ring. (2) accurately sizes 15 and shapes said ring and sets it in the final inside size and curvature of the bead, and (3) molds the bead app oximately to shape against said member. 1 n i 8. That method of making a tire which comprises placing within the the a member shaped approximately to the desired final shape of the bead and in aposition to hold the bead material against outwardly-directed pressure, placing an undersize ring within said bead, and stretching 25 said ring outwardly to final size by outwardlydirected pressure which: (1) compresses the material of the bead,' (2) accurately sizes and shapes said ring and sets it in the final inside size and curvature of the bead, and (3) molds the beadsch approximately to shape against said member.

ROBERT C. PIERCE. 

